Included Excursion?

[CruzinFeraBruzin]

Yesterday, I received an email from Shore Concierge advising me that "due to operational reasons" the included excursion in Dubai I booked a few months ago (Al Sahara Dinner Experience valued at $199) is no longer considered included and is now a selected excursion priced at $209 per person.  No other enhancements were made to the excursion other than increasing the price and not covering the charge.  They graciously welcomed me to log into my.silversea and remove the excursion if I didn't want to pay for it and book the only included excursion now offered - a city tour valued at $59.  Not sure if others have experienced this, but it didn't sit well with us.

[jimdee3636]

@CruzinFeraBruzin

I don't blame you for feeling miffed. This is yet another example of how ill-conceived Silversea's "all inclusive" policy is. They promise a lot and deliver little. The $59 "city tour" is a joke.

[Daveywavey70]

1 hour ago, CruzinFeraBruzin said:

Yesterday, I received an email from Shore Concierge advising me that "due to operational reasons" the included excursion in Dubai I booked a few months ago (Al Sahara Dinner Experience valued at $199) is no longer considered included and is now a selected excursion priced at $209 per person.  No other enhancements were made to the excursion other than increasing the price and not covering the charge.  They graciously welcomed me to log into my.silversea and remove the excursion if I didn't want to pay for it and book the only included excursion now offered - a city tour valued at $59.  Not sure if others have experienced this, but it didn't sit well with us.

A Very slippery slope. Soon they’ll just be taking us around the looky looky men on the beach and waiting for their backhanders. 

[pavementends]

"Fair" would have been to let you keep the tour for an extra $10.

[MrsWaldo]

I discussed this elsewhere, there were a lot of us who got the email.

Some are approaching their agent to see if it can be given as suggested.  No, no one is very happy about it, especially as there is a $299 tour included but waitlisted.

 

I cancelled it and chose the Star Gazing one, cos if I'm going to pay I want to do the best tour.

 

I'm doing the city highlights one now.

[CruzinFeraBruzin]

1 hour ago, MrsWaldo said:

Some are approaching their agent to see if it can be given as suggested.  No, no one is very happy about it, especially as there is a $299 tour included but waitlisted.

 

I sent my SS Consultant an email yesterday morning and as of this afternoon have not heard back from him, which is not unusual.  Yes, its interesting they are still offering the $299 Burj Khalifa dinner as included and I'm sure its on an eternal waitlist with the possibility it too will magically turn into a selected excursion.  See you on the Spirit MrsWaldo.  

Edited January 13, 2023 by CruzinFeraBruzin

[Gourmet Gal]

Seems so petty for SS to make a pricing miscalculation, label it an operational issue and then change the price from zero if included to $209.  Seems to me a true luxury line would absorb their mistake and just make the change for future cruises.  It doesn’t sit well with me either.

[ronrick1943]

14 hours ago, pavementends said:

"Fair" would have been to let you keep the tour for an extra $10.

Fair, not really.  Fair would have given the tour at no extra cost since it was booked before the change.  SS ahold eat that cost.

[Host Jazzbeau]

4 minutes ago, ronrick1943 said:

Fair, not really.  Fair would have given the tour at no extra cost since it was booked before the change.  SS ahold eat that cost.

SS is now under the control of the RCG bean counters.  OTOH, if they weren't they might not be in business now.  [I agree that you were treated badly, but I think you need to temper your expectations under the new management.]

[ronrick1943]

36 minutes ago, Host Jazzbeau said:

SS is now under the control of the RCG bean counters.  OTOH, if they weren't they might not be in business now.  [I agree that you were treated badly, but I think you need to temper your expectations under the new management.]

Not really, I should get what I pay for—if Silversea offers something they should provide it as advertised.  That is the business is run.  I’m on the Spirit right now in an Owners Suite, not really happy with the food and beverage offered.  I also have the new higher suite booked on the Nova and I’ll expect what I pay for or I won’t be cruising Silversea.  Reality is Reality and Silversea need to step it up.  

[ronrick1943]

1 hour ago, Host Jazzbeau said:

SS is now under the control of the RCG bean counters.  OTOH, if they weren't they might not be in business now.  [I agree that you were treated badly, but I think you need to temper your expectations under the new management.]

Sorry but a question as a Host, even though this didn’t happen to me I was only giving my feelings about what happened.  But why should anybody temper their expectations on what they should expect - a company should meet most reasonable request.  If Silversea sells themself as a Luxury line, that is what a person should expect, nothing less.

[CruzinFeraBruzin]

The purpose in posting this was:  1. see if I get feedback on whether others have experienced this on their cruise in the roughly 1 year since Silversea introduced included excursions into their all inclusive package and,  2. inform others this is happening and could also happen to you on your upcoming cruise with Silversea.

 

I indicated this did not sit well with me but my expectations on them delivering what they promised do not need to be tempered, because I'm already not surprised they did this.  Irritated? Yes. Surprised? No. Their T&C's cover them to make changes for any reason or no reason at all.  We have all experienced excursion cancellations for a host of reasons that were definitely out of Silversea's control and had they simply cancelled this excursion, waited a few months, then post it again as a selected excursion, it would have fallen under the radar with fewer questions.

 

The excursion is still waitlisted both days it's being offered in Dubai while we are in port which tells Silversea people are willing to pay for an excursion that they previously marketed as included.  Time will tell if this was just a one off occurrence or if we will begin to see this happen more and more.

 

 

  

 

 

 

 

[MrsWaldo]

1 hour ago, CruzinFeraBruzin said:

 

 

The excursion is still waitlisted both days it's being offered in Dubai while we are in port which tells Silversea people are willing to pay for an excursion that they previously marketed as included.  

 

 

  

 

 

 

 

Or that they haven't read the email and logged into change the booking...  remember they didn't cancel they just told you of the now charge

[CruzinFeraBruzin]

21 minutes ago, MrsWaldo said:

Or that they haven't read the email and logged into change the booking

You're correct.  The third possibility is they are waiting to discuss the matter directly with their Silversea Reps.    

[Stumblefoot]

19 hours ago, ronrick1943 said:

I’m on the Spirit right now in an Owners Suite, not really happy with the food and beverage offered.

Now that you have been sailing for several days and have been disappointed virtually every day with F&B, have you scheduled a meeting with the Executive Chef and Hotel Director? Knowing you are a new to Silversea and spending beaucoup bucks on a top suite, I would think senior ship management would want to hear directly from a customer they are making massive gross profit on in order to keep generating that margin for as long as possible. And, we fellow forum members would love to read the outcome of said meeting.

[Host Jazzbeau]

18 hours ago, ronrick1943 said:

Sorry but a question as a Host, even though this didn’t happen to me I was only giving my feelings about what happened.  But why should anybody temper their expectations on what they should expect - a company should meet most reasonable request.  If Silversea sells themself as a Luxury line, that is what a person should expect, nothing less.

That's why I said "I agree that you were treated badly" – but [and I am speaking as a Cruise Critic member, not as a Host – just as I was in the earlier post] I think we all need to understand that the three major cruise conglomerates are in bad financial shape and that cutbacks and a lack of flexibility are in their future – and this will affect even their luxury marques.

 

Would the previous private ownership have been able to weather the shutdown?–I don't know.  Maybe they would have gotten through with a less-burdensome debt load, or maybe they would have gone bankrupt.  But in any case, if RCG hadn't bought Silversea they wouldn't have any of their new ships.  So 'it is what it is' and we all have to adjust to it.  The old Silversea is gone.

[ronrick1943]

7 hours ago, Host Jazzbeau said:

That's why I said "I agree that you were treated badly" – but [and I am speaking as a Cruise Critic member, not as a Host – just as I was in the earlier post] I think we all need to understand that the three major cruise conglomerates are in bad financial shape and that cutbacks and a lack of flexibility are in their future – and this will affect even their luxury marques.

 

Would the previous private ownership have been able to weather the shutdown?–I don't know.  Maybe they would have gotten through with a less-burdensome debt load, or maybe they would have gone bankrupt.  But in any case, if RCG hadn't bought Silversea they wouldn't have any of their new ships.  So 'it is what it is' and we all have to adjust to it.  The old Silversea is gone.

Yes I agree, but if they really let the Bean counters (as you called them)make the decision regarding the line—-and they make Silversea a non-luxury line-like you say it won’t be around.  If they call it luxury and want it to be luxury-they have to make decisions to be that.  When I send $50,000 for a 14/16 day cruise I really except what I pay for and nothing less.

[ronrick1943]

8 hours ago, Stumblefoot said:

Now that you have been sailing for several days and have been disappointed virtually every day with F&B, have you scheduled a meeting with the Executive Chef and Hotel Director? Knowing you are a new to Silversea and spending beaucoup bucks on a top suite, I would think senior ship management would want to hear directly from a customer they are making massive gross profit on in order to keep generating that margin for as long as possible. And, we fellow forum members would love to read the outcome of said meeting.

I did have a talk, for 2 reason.  All is pretty much taken care of……..I found every ship doesn’t have the same product.  From an answer I got from BM on Silversea Facebook said Silversea has the best and many Non alcoholic beverages.  But they really didn’t know that is not the case on all the ship and the F&B manager confirmed that.  But I plan on wrapping up by review of this cruise one the other post in a few days.  Any questions, please ask on the other post.